Children respiratory illness outbreak in China: Closely monitoring, says India

WITH reports of outbreaks of H9N2 virus and clusters of respiratory illness in children emerging from China, India's health ministry has said that it is keeping a close watch on the developments across the border. It also said that cases of avian influenza and the respiratory illness pose low risk to the South Asian nation.

In a press release issued on Friday (24), the ministry said, "Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the reported outbreak of H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness in children in northern China. There is low risk to India from both the avian influenza case reported from China as well as the clusters of respiratory illness.

"Some media reports have indicated clustering of cases of respiratory illness in children in northern China for which WHO (World Health Organisation) has also issued a statement: (https://worldhealthorganizationdepartmentofcommunications.cmail20.com/t/d-e-vhduio-tyelrhjty-y/). Based on the currently available information, an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China has been reported in the last few weeks. The usual causes of respiratory illness in children have been implicated and there has been no identification of an unusual pathogen or any unexpected clinical manifestations."

"India is prepared for any kind of exigency that may emerge from the current situation," the release added.

"The usual causes of respiratory illness in children have been implicated and there has been no identification of an unusual pathogen or any unexpected clinical manifestations," the ministry said.

It also said that India is embarking on a One Health approach to adopt a holistic and integrated roadmap towards resolving health issues.

The statement further added that India is embarking on a One Health approach to adopt a holistic and integrated roadmap towards solving health issues.

India was one of the countries that was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic that reportedly originated in China. The government had called for long phases of lockdowns that allegedly hurt the economy.

The ministry said in the release that the Indian health infrastructure has witnessed a significant overhaul since the pandemic and the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission "is developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels, primary, secondary, and tertiary, to prepare health systems to respond effectively to current and future pandemics or disasters".

India's Directorate General of Health Services recently chaired a meeting to scrutinise preparedness against human cases of avian influenza in the country after China reported a human case of H9N2 to the World Health

The Directorate General of Health Services chaired a meeting to discuss preparedness against human cases of Avian Influenza in the country after China reported a human case of H9N2 to the WHO in October. The international health body, which has been monitoring data from China's surveillance systems showing a rise in respiratory illness in children in the country's northern part, AFP reported.

Earlier this week, the WHO made an official request to Beijing for more data but Beijing offered no comment publicly as on Thursday (23).